Life Matters
by Black Ripple
Summary: Oooh, You probably won't like this! 15 chapters with action, suspense, drama, angst and romance. Nah, I wouldn't read it if I were you! MSR with a plot!
1. Prologue

Life Matters - By Black Ripple

Rating: M for language and scenes of a sexual nature

Disclaimer: This is a work purely of fanfiction. I do not own the X-files and make no money from anything that is posted here. 

Summary: It's time for Mr and Mrs Petrie to make another appearance. But will Mulder and Scully's second assignment as a married couple prove more challenging, and indeed dangerous, than the last? And when the hell will they finally admit to how they feel about each another?! Featuring Innuendo!Mulder, Horny!Scully, cottage cheese, hot tubs, drunken conversations, late night water fights and much, much more…

* * *

1/15

Prologue

'Put your hands where I can see them!'

Scully levelled her gun at the back of the bleached blonde head. This guy was no monster; he was just a kid. 

The kid didn't move.

'HEY! I said put your goddamn hands up!' Kid or not, Scully's patience was running thin.

Slowly Barrett raised his hands into the air, but something was off. Over the sound of her raggedy breathing Scully heard the sounds of his laughter begin to fill the dingy garage. It started out as a quiet chuckle before building up into a deep, gurgling belly laugh. 

The blonde boy whipped around.

'You think you can stop me?' Scully was chilled by the frostiness of his voice. It was matched only by the glacial look in his eyes. To say that this guy didn't like her was a huge understatement. 

'Look,' Scully tried, 'I know you think you've got no way out of this one, but it's not that bad. Nobody's died. Nobody else has to get hurt. Just come in quietly and we can sort all of thi…'

'SHUT YOUR STUPID MOUTH!' Scully was shocked into silence by the sudden outburst. 'You don't know jack shit about me or what I can do! So don't preach to me 'bout how everything can go back to normal! There is no frickin' normal!' He was pacing now and Scully tightened her hold on her gun, wishing Mulder would just hurry the hell up.

'I know that something happened to you when you were in that lab. I know they did something to you that changed you, made you able to do things…things you couldn't do before. But we can fix it! I'm a medical doctor, I can help you!' Scully was grasping at straws; trying to keep him talking long enough for back up to get here so she didn't have to do this alone.

'You think I want your help? You think this is some kind of disease, just like the others don't you!' Barrett's voice was rising to a hysterical pitch. 'I don't WANT to be cured. I love who I am now!'

'Scully?!'

The sound of the voice made both Scully and Barrett jump and whirl around. Mulder was stood with a number of armed police officers. He had his gun levelled straight at Barrett's chest and a mean expression on his face.

'Mulder, I…' Scully was cut off by the sound of an angry roar. 

Barrett's face was contorted in rage.

'You fucking BITCH! You lead them right to me!' With that he charged towards Scully, who stood stock still, completely paralysed.

She heard shots ring out around her, the world seemed to blur momentarily and then suddenly she was encased in a firm grip, with an arm across her windpipe. Her gun lay discarded on the floor. 

Scully cursed herself for faltering and thinking she could help Barrett. Now she was held hostage, facing some really ugly prospects. 

'Don't do it Barrett.' Mulder's calm voice rang out across the garage. Trust him to be calm in this situation, Scully thought to herself with a grimace. 

'Don't do what? Jump? Take your pretty girl with me?' He chuckled to himself for a second. 'You know she really is very pretty…I do like older women.' He giggled again in Scully's ear before licking the side of her face. Scully turned her head away from the putrid breath and feigned gagging.

As Barrett turned his attention back to Mulder, Scully made her decision. Fuck this, she thought as she manoeuvred her elbow swiftly and directly into Barrett's crotch. He let out a deep grunt and doubled over, his grip on her relaxing. 

The room exploded into chaos once again. Scully dropped to the floor as shots began to ring out once again, but Barrett proved himself as a nifty little shit and once again grabbed her, this time firmly by the ankle. 

'SCULLY!!'

She heard the alarmed scream from her partner moments before she felt a strange sensation pull just behind her diaphragm. It felt like the dropping sensation that she used to get on roller coasters when she went with her brothers years before. 

The world around her faded into an indecipherable haze and Scully had no comprehension of time, breath or life.

Tbc.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the first instalment!! It was tres short, I know. But guess what? I thought I'd be a lovely author and post the first chapter right along with the prologue! So head onwards to the next chapter….and don't forget to review!!

Squisshes .x.


	2. Again? ! '

Life Matters By Black Ripple

Rating: M for language and scenes of a sexual nature

Disclaimer: This is a work purely of fanfiction. I do not own the X-files and make no money from anything that is posted here. 

Summary: It's time for Mr and Mrs Petrie to make another appearance. But will Mulder and Scully's second assignment as a married couple prove more challenging, and indeed dangerous, than the last? And when the hell will they finally admit to how they feel about each another?! Featuring Innuendo!Mulder, Horny!Scully, cottage cheese, hot tubs, drunken conversations, late night water fights and much, much more…

* * *

2/15

Chapter 1 – 'Again?!'

'You cannot be serious!?' Scully yelped, her face twisting in confusion.

Beside her Mulder just continued to grin like a Cheshire cat. 

'Agent Scully, I am deadly serious. What's the big deal? You've done it before, you can do it again.' Skinner said; his face a mask of perfect calm and professionalism. Scully, however could see the twinkle in his eye. Bastard. 'You and Agent Mulder, or should I say, your husband, Mr Petrie…' At this Skinner really did smirk and Mulder let out a deep guttural laugh, until Scully quelled it with her meanest glare. 'Agent Scully, you have two days to prepare and then you're both out of here. You've been briefed; all of the usual precautions apply; you have the case file. You know what we're up against here.'

Scully resisted the urge to pout. 

'Yes, but sir…why do we have to be married? Again?!'

* * *

Scully pulled her clothes from the wardrobe and set about folding them into her suitcase. As she worked she thought over this latest development. She thought back to when she and Mulder had got back to their office after meeting with Skinner. 

'Hey G woman, anybody would think you didn't want to be Mrs Mulder,' he pouted as he leaned against her desk.

Scully raised an eyebrow at him and opted to meet sarcasm with sarcasm.

'Oh yeah, baby. Dana Mulder has a real ring to it don't you think?!' At Mulder's smirk she faltered, throwing her hands up and pacing, just for good measure. 'God damn it Mulder, we were just starting to get some decent cases here, and then all of a sudden we're back playing house while somebody else gets to do all the good work.'

Scully knew she was being petulant, she could see it in how Mulder was still smirking at her. But damn it this was annoying. She'd been back at work for a week and in that week she'd been on desk duty only. 

And now, the first assignment that came up was a crappy one. Sometimes, Scully mused, her job sucked.

'It's not a bad case,' Mulder argued, walking around to his desk and picking up the file. 'In fact, it's actually pretty interesting.'

Scully resisted a smirk. Mulder's definition of interesting usually involved aliens and liver eating monsters. 

'Nine happily married women in San Francisco have all been kidnapped in the last 6 months. Each one of them turned up a week later with no memory of what had happened to them.' Mulder paused and fumbled with the projector. 

'However,' he continued, 'after a few days all of these women began to show signs of rage and uncontrollable anger. In every case these women were either shot and killed by local law enforcement, or killed themselves.' 

He flicked a few pictures up of women who had died in a variety of nasty ways. Scully frowned. Somehow their work always seemed to involve people being killed. 

'So we get to go in and be the newlyweds, all happy to be us and mushy etc.' at this Scully made a face, 'and then we wait for the bad guy to show up, am I right?' 

Mulder had his back to her, but she could hear the grin in his voice.

'Yep that's pretty much it.' At this Mulder turned and smirked at her. 'But admit it…You know you're just dying to play my little wife.' He turned and waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. 

She had responded by throwing her purse at him before leaving the room.

It wasn't that she didn't want to go undercover with Mulder. In fact it was the complete opposite. There had actually been a fair element of truth in what Mulder had said to her, though little did he know it. 

Last time they had gone undercover Scully had been so preoccupied with the constant closeness of her partner that she felt as though she lost focus on what she was really there to do. And the thought of slipping back into the role of husband and wife came so easily to her that it scared her somewhat.

Mulder was a damn attractive man; she knew this. But she couldn't afford to compromise her job and their lives by mooning over Mulder for the next few weeks. She needed to remain emotionally distant.

Scully snorted to herself. Yeah right. Like that was going to be possible what with all the seeing each other morning, noon and night. Seeing Mulder first thing in the morning and getting out of the shower should make things go very smoothly. 

Scully clamped down on the wave of desire that shot through her frame. God, she was fricking hot for him. 

Oh yes, thought Scully…just peachy.

* * *

'It's open!'

Scully pushed open the door to Mulder's apartment and surveyed the devastation that was Mulder's attempt at packing. 

There were boxes covering most of the lounge and Mulder was nowhere to be seen. The TV was playing some kind of basketball game to itself.

'Mulder?' she called when there was still no sign of him.

'Hey,' he said, his head appearing over some of the boxes by the coffee table. 

Scully snorted to herself. He'd obviously just given up packing in favour of watching the basketball. She clambered her way through the devastation towards the couch and plonked herself down by his feet, pulling a beer out of the pack on the way. 

'So…Laura…' Mulder turned to face her.

'Yeah,' Scully murmured, taking a swig from her beer.

'Laura and Rob Petrie on another whirlwind adventure…I like it!' Mulder grinned, crunching on his sesame seeds. 

Scully snorted again. 

'Just so long as there's no more garbage monster who want to kill us for not taking out the trash.' 

'Don't worry honey, your big strong man is here to protect you,' Mulder drawled in his mock southern accent, puffing his chest out. 

Scully nearly spat beer out of her nose snorting at that one. 

They sat in companionable silence for a while, both just content to watch the game and share each other's company. 

Eventually there was a knock on the door.

'Ah,' said Mulder, sitting up. 'The movers.' 

Scully smiled softly, she lifted her beer to Mulder's and chinked them softly looking him deep in the eyes. 

'Here's to marriage, Rob.'

'To marriage, Laura,' said Mulder. 

They both swigged deeply, their eyes still on one another, before Mulder slowly got up to answer the door; leaving Scully to contemplate the mysterious look in his eyes.

Tbc.

* * *

A/N: That's all for now folks. Hope you're enjoying so far. More is on its way very soon, so keep an eye out! Don't forget to review, good or bad!

Squisshes x.


	3. Moments

Life Matters - By Black Ripple

Rating: T/M for language and scenes of a sexual nature

Disclaimer: This is a work purely of fanfiction. I do not own the X-files and make no money from anything that is posted here. 

Summary: It's time for Mr and Mrs Petrie to make another appearance. But will Mulder and Scully's second assignment as a married couple prove more challenging, and indeed dangerous, than the last? And when the hell will they finally admit to how they feel about each another?! Featuring Innuendo!Mulder, Horny!Scully, cottage cheese, hot tubs, drunken conversations, late night water fights and much, much more…

* * *

3/15

Chapter 2 - Moments 

I hate this minivan, Scully decided as she scrutinised its huge trunk space.

It wasn't so much the minivan itself; it was the notion of what it represented. The whole two point four children, white picket fences and soccer on a Saturday afternoon was what Scully loathed. She was simply not the settling down kind of woman.

'Well, what'dya think hun?' Mulder said, in that put on voice that Scully so despised.

Scully knew it was for the sake of anybody listening in nearby, but still it freaked her out a bit to hear Mulder talk to her like that. 

'It's just so us, poopyhead!' She replied with a smirk.

Mulder scowled at her in response. 

Unlike their last undercover assignment, there was no welcome party this time and they were left to move in alone.

Scully found that she actually kind of preferred it this way; nobody there to break her plates. 

As she bent down to lift the heavy box out of the van Scully's head began to reel. She felt a cold sweat break out across her forehead and the world span ominously; the box that she held slipped in her sweaty grip as Scully felt her legs give out and the world withdrew to a tiny pin-prick, before nothing...

* * *

The first thing Scully was aware of was a heartbeat racing frantically in her ear. 

'Mulder?' She murmured, trying to push herself out of his vice-like grip.

'Just stay down, Scully,' he insisted quietly, holding her steady.

God he was scared; she could feel it in his trembling and the pounding beneath her ear. 

Scully stopped struggling and let herself be held. In any other situation she would have been thrilled to be in Mulder's arms, but right now she was confused, tired and aching. 

'What happened?' She asked quietly as Mulder stroked her hair and face.

'You tell me, Scully,' he replied, tilting her face up to meet his eyes. 'One minute you're fine, the next you just drop. I saw you as I came out of the house and thank god I managed to catch you before you hit your head.'

Scully was starting to feel better. The cold fog that had surrounded her brain momentarily was receding.

'I guess I probably just pushed myself too hard, too soon.'

Mulder's eyes darkened in response as Scully was drawn back in her memories.

'Hey,' he said, bringing her back to the present. 'Let's not go back there, huh? How about you go inside and start unwrapping, on the couch, and I'll bring the rest of these boxes in.'

Scully sighed and nodded in response, letting Mulder help her into a standing position. She knew there was no arguing with him when he got into this overprotective state. When she was upright she gazed into his concerned face. Slowly she traced her fingertips down his cheekbone to his jaw, watching as his Adam's apple bobbed.

'Thank you,' she murmured as she dropped her hand.

He caught her slender fingers between his own and squeezed, before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and walking her towards the house.

'Well, what are us big strong men here for, if not to protect you little ladies?' Mulder drawled in that fake southern accent. 

Scully jabbed him in the ribs and continued into the house, trying hard to suppress the grin on her face. 

* * *

All in all it took them two hours to get everything moved into the house. They had much less to move in than last time, considering the house was a lot smaller. Yet Mulder received little help from the movers who chose instead to stand around smoking on the front porch. 

But by 7pm they were all moved in. Scully had spent the last hour sat on the couch unpacking boxes of china, books and clothes, ready to be put away. The house was a complete mess. 

'So, what's the agenda for tomorrow?' Scully piped up as she moved off of the couch, taking yet another wine glass over to the breakfast bar, where her small collection was gathering. 

'Well, considering we've seen hide nor hair of anybody so far, I'd say we should go around and try and meet some of the locals,' Mulder called from the kitchen.

'Mmmm…' Scully hummed, rubbing the back of her neck. She was stiff from all this unpacking.

She jumped when she felt Mulder's warm hands replace her own. She groaned as he kneaded her aching muscles.

'You're tense,' he muttered, his breath tickling her ear. 

Scully felt her nipples hardening in response and her breath caught in her chest. She let Mulder continue to work her into a puddle of goo, his breath ghosting across the back of her neck, causing delightful shivers to dance across her skin. 

Mulder's hands finished what they were doing and came to rest on her hips. By this point Scully was holding onto the breakfast bar and breathing deeply. 

She felt his lips come into contact with the base of her neck, sensuously dragging across the skin there.

'Mulder…' Scully whispered breathlessly. 

She turned her head towards him, noticing his eyes, dark with desire, focussing in on her lips. His hand came up to cup her jaw, tenderly. Her body was aching in its need for his touch. She closed the distance between them until she could practically taste him and his breath danced across her mouth.

'Mulder…' she said again, contentedly, before closing her eyes.

A hurried knock on the door had them springing apart like naughty school kids. 

Scully felt her face flush and she studiously avoided looking at Mulder, opting instead to dash to the door. 

Straightening her shirt, Scully plastered her best fake smile and pulled the door open.

There was nobody there. 

Scully frowned. She heard Mulder come up behind her.

'Strange neighbours,' he murmured, looking out into the darkened street. 

'Yeah, but they obviously wanted to tell us something though, look,' Scully said as she bent down.

On the porch step lay a potted plant with a note attached by a rubber band.

Scully picked it up slowly and removed the rubber band. Carefully unfolding the note, she held it out for both her and Mulder to see. 

GET HER OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN

Scully swallowed, suddenly conscious that they may be being watched.

'Oh Rob, what do you think it means,' she clutched at Mulder with a fearful expression on her face. 

'I think it's probably just a practical joke, honey,' he said loudly. 'A funny way to greet the new neighbours,' he turned back towards the darkened street, calling loudly, 'Ha ha, very funny guys!'

He put an arm around Scully's shoulders, turning away from the front door and headed back towards the lounge, shutting the door and locking it, on his way.

'I think we might have made a new friend,' Scully muttered, pulling away from Mulder's embrace and turning to face him with a curious expression.

'Yup, somebody out there knows something and is giving us a heads up,' he replied, looking back over the note.

'Eugh,' Scully shivered. 'It' just like last time and it still gives me the creeps!' 

Mulder gave her a lopsided grin. 

'Oooh, don't tell me the great Agent Scully is scared?' He mocked.

'Oh bite me!' She retorted with a glare.

'Anytime babe, anytime,' he replied with a saucy wink.

Scully gave him the finger, then turned away to hide her blush.

* * *

At 7am the following morning, Scully stretched lithely in her bed. She mulled over the previous day's events in her mind.

After the mysterious letter had appeared, Mulder had chosen to lighten the mood by flipping the TV on and turning on the big basketball game. They had ordered take out and sat around watching the game, surrounded by half unpacked boxes, popcorn and soft drinks. 

Scully had laughed as Mulder, in a fit of disappointment, threw popcorn at the TV and proceeded to pout as his team lost spectacularly. 

They'd stayed up late into the evening discussing the case and what their objectives would be and how they would go about the case. 

When Mulder had suppressed a deep yawn Scully had declared it time for bed and they headed up the stairs, each carrying a box and a suitcase. 

Scully remembered the awkward moment when they had decided who would get each bedroom. Mulder had offered to keep her warm in his usual sarcastic manner, eyebrows waggling and everything. But she had politely declined by shutting the door in his face with a loud 'Good Night Husband, mine!' 

Scully stretched again, smiling at the memory. Little did Mulder know how much she had wanted him to keep her warm; what she wouldn't give to wake up to the feel of his arms around her and his naked chest pressing against hers…

Scully shook herself, vigorously. 

God, she needed to get some! This insatiable desire was starting to distract her from her assignment. That's right, she thought to herself, you're here to do a job, so do it! 

After showering and changing, Scully wandered into the kitchen in her jeans and sweater. She yawned as she filled the kettle to make some coffee. She doubted whether Mulder would surface within the next hour or two, so she thought she may as well get on with some more unpacking. 

After about thirty minutes of unpacking, Scully was starting feel a little hot and bothered. She removed her sweat shirt, leaving her in a short tank top and jeans. It was nothing Mulder hadn't seen before and she knew it wouldn't faze him. She wandered back to the kitchen and poured herself a huge glass of orange juice before heading back to her boxes. 

The front door slammed shut with a bang and Scully whirled about just as Mulder plucked the glass from her hands.

'Aww, sweetie, you shouldn't have,' he gushed at her.

He had obviously just come back from an early morning run as he was dressed in sweats and dripping with perspiration. 

'Ewww, Mulder you're dripping on me!' She complained loudly.

'Oh, I'm sorry, you mean like this?' He once again proved himself as the most irritating man on the planet by shaking his sweaty head in her direction.

'Arrrggggggghhhh! Mulder!!' Scully screamed at his in frustration, punching him hard on the arm.

'Domestic abuse,' Mulder gasped before pouting deeply. 

Scully just glared at him. It was time to be professional and not get caught up in those gorgeous green eyes or sweaty muscles….

Scully blinked.

'Just go shower and get ready, some of us actually have work to do,' Scully said in her bossiest and most business-like voice. Yes. She could do this.

'Well, why don't you join me, Mrs Petrie?' Mulder waggled his eyebrows before running a suggestive gaze up and down her body.

Scully quelled the urge to blush.

'God, Mulder would you stop being such a jack-ass and do your damn job?' Scully groaned.

'Alright, alright,' he muttered, heading up the stairs. 'Give me 20 minutes.'

40 minutes later - in which time Mulder had had to have breakfast, change 3 times and watch the sports report on the TV - Mr and Mrs Petrie headed out of the house and walked down the lane hand in hand. It was game time.

* * *

A/N: Well, not much action in this one, sorry!! But some sexy MSR! Yay! But never fear; drama, action and adventure are coming right up. Also, I know the prologue has not been explained, but it will be dealt with, so don't worry! The next few chapters will be posted pretty quickly. It's mostly written and I'm getting through what's not very quickly, so keep checking back here! Thanks to those who reviewed! It's nice to hear your thoughts! Keep reading, keep reviewing!

Squisshes x.


	4. Crazy Talk

Life Matters - By Black Ripple

Rating: T/M for language and scenes of a sexual nature

Disclaimer: This is a work purely of fanfiction. I do not own the X-files and make no money from anything that is posted here.

Summary: It's time for Mr and Mrs Petrie to make another appearance. But will Mulder and Scully's second assignment as a married couple prove more challenging, and indeed dangerous, than the last? And when the hell will they finally admit to how they feel about each another?! Featuring Innuendo!Mulder, Horny!Scully, cottage cheese, hot tubs, drunken conversations, late night water fights and much, much more…

* * *

4/15

Chapter 3 – Crazy talk

'I swear,' Scully growled from beneath her casual smile. 'If you don't take that hand off my butt you're not gonna see it again for a long time, buster!'

Mulder quickly removed his hand.

'Just trying to stay in character, my sweetness,' Mulder muttered.

It was 1pm and Mulder and Scully had trailed around the neighbourhood, seemingly on a romantic stroll. In actual fact they had been checking the place out for any suspicious behaviour. But so far, they'd seen nothing that warranted any investigation.

They had met a few of the local people and introduced themselves as Rob and Laura Petrie. Everybody had seemed very nice; no obsessive rules and regulations to be seen anywhere, Thank God!

But then, all in all it was looking like this might be a bit of a dud assignment.

After catching a spot of lunch at a local restaurant - recommended by Bob and Mary Jeffers from down the road – Mulder and Scully had decided to head back to their house. Scully was going to do some grocery shopping while Mulder took the mystery note off the forensic lab in the city to be analysed.

He would be gone fore a good 4 hours, which , Scully thought to herself smugly, would give her plenty of time to start her report and get some housework done.

As they turned the corner back onto their street, Scully caught a glimpse of something white in the corner of her eye. She turned her head and looked across the road. A cold sweat suddenly breaking out across her forehead. Standing there, staring at her with deadened eyes was somebody who could not be there.

Scully stopped dead in her tracks, her breathing desperately shallow. The urge to run was overwhelming.

Mulder turned from where he had walked on. As soon as he saw her face, his eyes grew serious and he stepped closer to her.

'Laura, what is it?'

Scully turned her gaze away from the figure and glanced at Mulder with eyes unseeing. She raised a trembling hand and pointed to where the figure was standing, her gaze locked on Mulder's face.

He turned his head in the direction she was pointing and frowned.

'Sweetie, there's nothing there,' he said, clutching at her sleeve.

Scully's head whipped around, desperation bubbling in her chest.

'He was there,' she coughed. 'I s-saw him Mulder. Oh God he's back, he's back. No…not this time it won't happen again!'

Scully reached for her gun in the back of her jeans. But her arm was suddenly gripped firmly by Mulder.

'Not here, Scully!' He warned lowly. 'And it's Rob!' He muttered in an undertone.

Mind still reeling from what she saw, Scully let herself be lead back into the house. Once the door was firmly closed Scully fell apart.

'It WAS HIM!! Mulder we have to call somebody!' She yelled pacing around the room.

Mulder simply stood in the hallway staring at her with a calm expression. Scully hated that; she wanted to tear it off of him, make him cuss and bleed and _feel. _Just like her.

'Scully…' he murmured in that tone that she really didn't want to hear. 'It can't have been him. You know it can't have been.'

'But-'

'But nothing!' Mulder raised his voice. 'You're tired, stressed and you think you saw something, when in actual fact your mind was playing tricks on you.'

Scully was still pacing, her mind a whir. She knew Mulder was trying to talk sense into her. She knew he was probably right. The mixture of stress, and not enough sleep had caused the chemicals in her brain to produce a hallucination. It was typical.

But damn it she could have been sure.

'How can you be sure?' She whined in a tiny voice, looking up at Mulder with hazy eyes.

She saw him crumple; his stern exterior giving way to a concerned expression as he closed the distance between them.

'You know why I'm sure Scully.' He simply said. 'You know it.'

With that said he pulled her to him.

She melted into his embrace. God she needed this. The urge to let out a sob was overwhelming, but she buried her face into Mulder's jacket and quelled it, instead focussing on the sound of his heartbeat.

When she felt calmer, she glanced up at him. The concerned expression was still present, but there was something else hidden behind his eyes.

'Since when were you the voice of reason?' She joked, her voice cracking horribly.

Scully winced.

Mulder chose to ignore it, instead drawing her down onto the couch to lean against him.

They sat for a while in comfortable silence, him grazing his fingertips up and down her arm, she listening to the sound of his heartbeat.

After a moment Mulder broke the silence.

'Would you prefer me to call Skinner and get someone else on this?' He all but whispered.

Scully tried to pull out of his embrace, but Mulder had seemingly anticipated this and held her fast.

'NO! God, Mulder. It's just stress! I'm perfectly capable of doing my job!'

'Ok, ok!' He said soothingly.

She settled against him once more and they fell again into silence.

'Can I lie down for a while?' Scully said, after a while with an embarrassed smile. She was starting to feel incredibly tired.

Instead of answering, Mulder pulled her closer against him and manoeuvred his body so that he was lying on the couch with her on top of him.

'Mulder,' Scully tried to protest. 'I'm squishing you!'

'Stop it woman!' Mulder calmed her once again. 'You couldn't squish anybody.'

Scully could hear the smirk in his voice when he said, 'You're pint sized,' under his breath.

'At this moment in time I'm too comfortable to hit you, but that comment was noted,' Scully muttered.

'Oooh, I'm scared!' Mulder laughed.

'You will be,' Scully replied.

They lay comfortably for a while, each listening to the other's breathing.

Scully loved the feeling of Mulder surrounding her, encasing her. It just felt right. She shivered as his fingertips brushed the bare skin of her back where her top had ridden up.

Mulder's hand faltered momentarily before continuing its journey up and down her spine. But something had changed in his touch.

There was more than just comfort in the contact he was giving her. This was a caress. And, Scully thought, it was having the desired effect on her.

Scully lifted her head to gaze into Mulder's eyes. They were dilated and filled with some kind of emotion she was sure she was imagining.

'Scully,' he breathed, his fingertips disappearing beneath the hem of her top.

Scully moaned involuntarily as his warm hands danced across her naked flesh, leaving a trail of goose bumps. His hands stroked up and down her back, before curling around her sides. His fingers grazed against the back of her bra and Scully's breathing went desperately shallow.

No touch was close enough in this moment and Scully slowly slipped a knee between Mulder's parted thighs, delighting in the sound of his shaking breath-

'-NOW HAND OVER TO MIKE ROBERTS IN THE WEATHER OFFICE FOR AN UPDATE ON TODAYS WEATHER.'

Scully shrieked, twisted and tried to sit up all at the same time, which resulted in her falling off Mulder and the couch onto the floor with a bump.

For a moment the room was filled with only the tinny sound of Mike Roberts discussing how there were rain clouds rolling in across the west coast; until Mulder plucked the cursed remote from between his thighs and turned the TV off.

There was a stunned pause…which lasted all of 5 seconds until Mulder looked down at her, where she sat on the floor in a heap, snorted and let out the deepest belly laugh Scully had ever heard him utter. He clutched at a cushion and rolled around the couch, kicking his legs.

Scully pouted.

Mulder stopped laughing.

That is until he looked down at her at her again, bit his lip, then gave in and started laughing uproariously again; beating his fists against the cushion, tears of mirth rolling down his cheeks.

'Oh laugh it up, chuckles,' growled Scully, heaving herself off the floor and rubbing the sore spot on her butt as she made her way to the kitchen.

* * *

Scully's butt still hurt as she wandered up and down aisle 10 of the local supermarket three hours later, looking for sesame seeds for Mulder.

After Mulder had composed himself enough to stand up, he had taken their mystery note off to be analysed at the city office. Not liking the idea of staying in the house alone, after her hallucination, Scully had wandered down to the local store to pick up some supplies, like she had planned.

But now, looking at her shopping list, she could see that Mulder had added a few of his own ideas as to what food they should have in the house. 'If you can call it food,' Scully muttered to herself as she looked over the scribbled words, ice-cream, jello, sesame seeds and tequila.

Well, Tequila she could handle.

'Did you say something?'

Scully whirled around and saw a middle aged woman with bleached blonde hair looking at her curiously.

'Oh…I, uh- I was just looking over the additions my husband added to our shopping list,' Scully muttered, handing the list over for the woman to read.

The woman grimaced.

'Let me guess…newlyweds?' She said with a raised eyebrow.

Scully desperately tried to think back over their cover story.

'Uhhh…kind of… 3 months.'

'3 months?!' The woman exclaimed in mock shock, 'I would've thought you'd have had him well trained by now.'

Scully chuckled, and the woman joined in with a deep giggle.

'I'm Ellis,' she extended her hand. 'Ellis Skinner.'

Scully took her hand and shook it daintily, in a way she hoped defined femininity and shyness.

'Laura,' she replied quietly. 'Laura Petrie.'

'It's lovely to meet you Laura,' said Ellis. 'I take it you just moved in on Church Drive?'

'Yes, yes we did, just yesterday.' Scully replied.

'I'm almost done, here Laura, but I was wondering if perhaps you'd like to come over for some coffee? Get to know the neighbours? Well…me at least.'

Ellis looked so earnest that Scully found herself agreeing without thought. In fact, Scully found she was quite looking forward to it.

* * *

A/N: Sooo, the plot thickens. I know it's all quite secretive at the moment, but all will be revealed in time! In the next chapter: Mulder's POV, arguments and dinner parties and some sneaky investigations. Thanks to all who reviewed! Keep reading and keep those reviews coming. Even if it's just to tell me that this story sucks X)

Squisshes x.


	5. Getting Nowhere

Life Matters - By Black Ripple

Rating: M for language and scenes of a sexual nature

Disclaimer: This is a work purely of fanfiction. I do not own the X-files and make no money from anything that is posted here.

Summary: It's time for Mr and Mrs Petrie to make another appearance. But will Mulder and Scully's second assignment as a married couple prove more challenging, and indeed dangerous, than the last? And when the hell will they finally admit to how they feel about each another?! Featuring Innuendo!Mulder, Horny!Scully, cottage cheese, hot tubs, drunken conversations, late night water fights and much, much more…

* * *

5/15

Chapter 4 – Getting Nowhere

_Mulder POV_

Mulder slammed the door behind him, giving a loud, 'Honey, I'm home!' with a cheeky grin plastered across his face.

When he heard no biting retort Mulder pouted.

Dropping his keys on the hallway table he wandered deeper into the house, searching for his partner in crime - Or, his partner against crime – Mulder smirked at his own joke.

'Laura?' He called out when he'd wandered around the ground floor to no avail.

There was no reply and Mulder scowled.

He headed up the stairs and checked the bedrooms for good measure, finding nothing to indicate where Scully may have gone. Wandering back down to the hallway Mulder checked the answering machine. Nothing. He scanned the tables in the kitchen, lounge, dining room and hallway for any note to she may have left to say where she was going; but frustratingly, nothing. Mulder rested his arm against the doorframe and pursed his lips in thought.

Pulling his cell from his pocket, Mulder dialled the familiar number. But to his annoyance it went straight to voicemail. He decided against leaving her a message, for fear that he would sound too clingy. Scully was a big girl, she would be fine.

But then again, Mulder thought, it was just before 6pm and Scully should have been long back from the store. They had made no plans to investigate today other than to check out the neighbourhood together, that morning. Scully wouldn't have just gone off on her own…would she?

Mulder thought back over their time as partners together. In every case it was always him that wandered off and left her. He couldn't remember many times when she just left him without saying where she was going.

Mulder decided to give her an hour before he started to jump to conclusions. She just probably forgot something from the store, he though to himself as he wandered back into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of juice.

When 7pm came and went Mulder had had enough of tapping his foot and pretending to watch The Simpsons. He climbed off the couch, grabbing his cell as he stalked towards the front door.

Just as he reached for the handle however, it twisted and a flushed Scully pushed her way in through the door, her arms loaded with grocery bags.

'Hey, give me a hand will ya?' She said when she saw him standing there.

Mulder stood stock still, his mind a confused mess, until Scully sighed in annoyance and struggled past him towards the kitchen. This act seemed to knock Mulder out of his daze and he raced up to her, plucking a few of the bags out of her arms.

'Where ya been Scully?'

Scully frowned at him as she began packing groceries away.

'I went to the store and then I met this local woman who offered me coffee, you know she's actually really-'

'You couldn't have called to let me know where you were?'

Scully stopped what she was doing, her back straightening. She turned slowly and frowned at him.

'I was only gone a couple of hours!' She said, confused. 'And since when do I answer to you, Mulder?'

'What are you talking about,' he hissed. 'We're not playing house here! We're on assignment, undercover and it's your job to stick to the plan and not go wandering off without telling me!'

Scully visibly bristled.

'Don't you dare start telling me how to do MY job!' Scully exclaimed, waving a cucumber at him threateningly.

'I will if it means that I don't have to go hunting high and low for any sign of you!' Mulder was getting cross. 'You're actions could have compromised our entire operation! God Scully! You never go anywhere undercover without telling your partner first!'

'Mulder why are you so bothered by this, it's not like I didn't have my phone,' she said, a puzzled expression on her face. 'If you were that worried why didn't you call?'

Mulder scoffed.

'I tried, but your goddamn phone went straight to voicemail!'

Scully frowned, before grabbing her purse and rooting through it. On finding her cell, Scully flipped it and stared at it a while, open only to look up at Mulder with an guilty expression.

'Battery's flat,' she muttered.

Mulder just snorted, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against the counter.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence while both agents calmed down. But then suddenly Mulder pushed away from the counter, crossed the kitchen and pulled Scully into a rough hug.

'Don't do that to me again,' he breathed in her ear.

Pulling back, Mulder put his business face back on as he began putting grocery items away in the cupboard. After a moment, in which Scully stood stock still, as though deep in thought, she moved to join him in their task.

'So who's this woman you met?' Mulder queried when all of the items were put away and the bags stowed under the sink.

'Ellis Skinner,' Scully replied. 'She lives just around the corner.'

Mulder nodded and grabbed himself a soda from the fridge.

'Any relation to Good Old AD Walter?'

Scully shared his smirk.

'Doubtful. I invited her and her husband over for a late dinner tonight,' Scully said. 'I hope that's ok.'

'Yeah, I'd like a chance to meet some more of the neighbours myself.' Mulder replied as he popped his soda can. 'So, I take it she had some pretty good information if she held your attention for that long,' He quipped, taking a long swig.

Scully threw him a dirty look and went to grab her own soda.

'Actually, she just chatted a lot about the community,' Scully said. 'She told me all about the neighbours…who leaves their laundry out overnight, who lets their pets run wild about the neighbourhood…' Scully sighed. 'It wasn't exactly what you'd call a fruitful investigation.'

'So she said absolutely nothing of importance?' Mulder groaned. It seemed this case was going nowhere.

'Well…,' Scully pursed her lips. 'Actually, she did make one reference to Jacobs.'

Mulder span around quickly and stared at her.

'Well what did she say?' Mulder's heart was racing. Their only suspect, mentioned within just two days of their being undercover…it was certainly suspicious.

'She said,' and at this point Scully looked as though she was trying to decide whether to laugh or cry. 'She said that he looks like a hobo and his girlfriend's a tramp.'

Mulder groaned loudly as he exited the kitchen and threw himself back down onto the couch in frustration. God Scully, we're getting nowhere!'

'Well, how about tomorrow, you and me see if we can't 'bump' into Mr Jacobs…hmmm?' Scully waggled her eyebrows. She was obviously as desperate to get on with the case as Mulder was.

Mulder, in turn grinned.

'Will you marry me?'

Scully quickly turned back towards the kitchen, tossing a 'Yeah, like I'd spend the rest of my life cleaning up after you…' over her shoulder. But not before Mulder saw the flush that had heated her cheeks and neck.

* * *

When 8pm rolled around, Scully was just laying out a meal of fajitas and salad when the doorbell rang. Mulder watched as she moved out into the hallway to get it, slipping into the persona of Laura Petrie.

As the sounds of greeting filtered in from the hallway, Mulder slipped into his own 'Rob' persona.

After a few moments Scully brought in Mr and Mrs Skinner. Mrs Skinner was a middle aged woman platinum blonde hair. She was a smiley woman with expressive eyes and dimples in her rosy cheeks. Mulder instantly liked her.

Mr Skinner was a portly man who was balding slightly on top. His once ginger hair was greying around the edges giving him the impression that he was wearing a silver crown.

'Ellis, Jack…this is my husband Rob,' Scully introduced them with a smile. 'Rob this is Ellis Skinner and her husband Jack.'

'Hi, Rob,' gushed Ellis with a strong southern accent, grabbing his hand and shaking it enthusiastically. 'We have just heard so much about you!'

Mulder ginned. 'All good I hope,' he said, tossing a wink in Scully's direction.

'Nice to meet you, Jack,' Mulder said, sticking his hand out when the man made no move to introduce himself.

Jack skinner reluctantly shook Mulder's hand although he refused to meet Mulder's eyes. There was an awkward pause in which Mulder and Scully shared a meaningful look.

The moment was broken when Ellis spotted the dinner sat on the table.

'Oh my goodness! Will you look at this!' She gushed again. Mulder couldn't contain a smile at her outburst.

'Well, sit down won't you…and help yourselves,' Scully said as she walked around the table to her own chair. Mulder, who was closer, pulled out her chair as she moved to sit down. She gave him a smile and thanked him.

'Oh, will you look at you two!' Said Ellis as they all begin serving, 'So in love!'

'I'm a lucky, lucky man, Ellis,' Mulder said as he sipped on his water.

* * *

Dinner, like the investigation so far, was uneventful. The only thing that was unusual was the amount of cottage cheese that Ellis ate. It seemed she really loved the stuff. Ellis chatted about anything and everything, while her husband sat and ate his dinner quietly. Both Mulder and Scully had tried to engage him in conversation, but they could only assume that he was incredibly shy.

'Laura, do you mind if I use your restroom?' Ellis said once she had finished her meal.

'Oh, not at all,' Scully replied. 'It's down the hallway second door on the right.'

As Ellis excused herself, Mulder poured Jack another glass of wine.

'So Jack, what do you do for business?' He enquired.

For a moment Jack looked alarmed, but dropping his eyes he mumbled 'I work from home…uhhh with computers mostly.'

It was probably the most he had said all evening and Mulder grinned.

'Yeah, I work from home too,' at this point he slung an arm around Scully's shoulders. 'Laura just loves having me close, don't you, baby?'

He felt Scully shiver, briefly before she turned to him with a mischievous look in her eye.

'I sure do, Pooky,' she returned, nuzzling her nose against Mulder's. This time it was Mulder's turn to shiver as he felt her breath ghost across his lips.

The moment was broken as Ellis returned to the room.

'C'mon Jack, lets leave these two love birds to it,' she grinned as she grabbed her purse. Mulder, Scully and Jack all stood. 'Laura, Rob, thank you so much for having us over!' She kissed both of them on the cheek. 'We'll have to return the favour soon.'

'It was our pleasure, Ellis, Jack,' said Mulder as he shook Jack's hand.

Mulder and Scully waved the couple off from the front doorstep, big grins on their faces, before they turned and headed back into the house like the married couple they were pretending to be.

* * *

A/N: This chapter, like the title was 'going nowhere'. Sorry about this incredibly **boring** chapter, but it's building the necessary information for the storyline. **Next chapter**: Water fights, a scare and some _Adult rated content_!! Oooh, yeah, here comes the good stuff! Review? (I mean you've read it now, you may as well take the time to review, lol.) Ta.

Squisshes x.

P.S. Check out my new fic 'Risking It'. _Summary:_ Mulder and Scully as teenagers!! Mulder makes a bet that he can sleep with any girl by Xmas. You can probably figure how Scully works into this…


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